Solenoid operated switches



API'l 21 1964 P. R. HANAWAY 3,130,282

SOLENOID OPERATED SWITCHES Filed July 14, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l 6 1 ,1,TL 55 INVENToR.

59% L-53 PAUL R. HANAWAY jg BY F IG. 5 l ATTRNEY April 21, 1964 P. R.HANAWAY f 3,130,282

SOLENOID OPERATED SWITCHES f/f/y Filed July 14, 1961 v @Sheets-Sheet 2 n.f 5 v ".f///l/l/l S F IG. 9 3 INVENToR. PAUL R` HANAWAY BY x L L; FIG.lo

ATTOR NEY April 21, 1964 P. R. HANAWAY SOLENOID OPERATED SWITCHES FiledJuly 14, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PAUL R. HANAWAY ATTO RNEY 3,130,282,Patented Apr. 21, 1964k 3,i3,282 SOLENGID OPERATED SWITCHES Paul R.Hanaway, Glendale, Mo., assigner, kby mesne assignments, to ElectroMechanics, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a corporation oir' Florida FiledJuly 14,1961, Ser. No. 124,198 11 Claims. (Cl. 26d- 87) This inventionrelates in general to certain new and useful improvements in solenoidoperated switches.

lt is the primary object of the present invention to provide a solenoidoperated switching device which is extremely compact and is designed forquick installation and removal 'from an electrical circuit `with whichit is utilized. y

It is another objectof the present invention to provide a solenoidoperated switch yof the type stia-ted which is simple landeconornical inconstruction and is entirely selfcontained yforsimple replacement inAthe event of breakdown or failure. y

It is also an object of the ypresent invention to provide a solenoidoperated switching device in which the contactors are yof thesnap-action type and will, therefore, achieve avery rapid malle andbreak.

With the -above and other obiects in view, my invention resides in thenovel feature of form, construction, arrangement, and combination ofparts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

lIn the accompanying drawings-4 FIG. l is a side elevational view of asolenoid operated switch constructed in accordance with and embodyingthe present invention; n

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken alongfline 2f- 2 of FlG. l;

FIGS. 3 and 4 'are transverse sectional views taken along lines 3*.3 and4F-Ji, respectively, of FIG. 2; n

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5 5 of fFlG. 3';n n

FIG., 6 is a `fragmentary sectional View taken :along line 7--7 of HG.5; i

FIG. 7 is -a vertical sectional view of a modied form o-f switchconstructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views taken along lines SAS and 99, respectively, of PIG. 7; n

FIG. l0 is fa fragmentary sectional view taken along line 1li-410' oflF-lG. 8;

FIG. ld is a vertical sectional view of anotherfmodiiied form of switchconstructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention; n

FIGS. lZfand 13 are transverse sectional views taken along lines 12-#12and it-#13, respectively, of FIG. ll; and

FIGS. 14 land l5 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines ldldand 15-15, respectively, of FIG. l2.

Referring now in more detail kand by reference characters to thedrawings, which illustrate practical ernbodiments of the presentinvention, A ydesigna-tes ay solenoid operated switch comprisingarectilinear box-like housing 1 consisting oftwo lengthwise meetingsections 2, 3. The section 2 is provided with a peripheral channel 4Hand thesection 6 is provided witha peripheral vtongue Sadapted to seatsnugly within the channel 4 when .the two sections are brought together.Preferably the two sections are molded from nylon, polyethylene,polypropylene, or si-milar dielectric synthetic resin and are designatedto snapiit together lfor simplicity in assembly.

Molded or otherwise formed around the interior of the housing 1 are twoinwardly opening channels 6, 7, located in axially spaced parallelrelation to each other and similarly formed in the bottom wall 8 is acircular aperture 9 bordered by an inwardly opening circular channel 10.

Peripherally engaged in, and retained by, the channels 6,

7, 1d, are wafer-like rectangular plates 111, *12, 113, formed of thinstructurally strong material. The plates '11, 12 are arranged in spacedparallel relation across the shell, as shown in FG. 2, to for-m two endcompartments and are intermediate cage. The plate 13 is dielectric yandis circular in peripheral shape to conform to, and fit snugly lwithin,the channel lil, being integrally providedon its 7 upper face with anopstanding annular rim 14 having an outside diametral size adapted toi-t precisely within they aperture 9. On its downwardly presented orexternal face, the plate 13 is provided with a cylindrical coaxialsockety post l5 adapted to lit within a conventional socket of theradio-tube type (the latter being conventional and, therefore, not beingshown or describedherein). Also mold- :ed into or otherwise rigidlymounted in the `plate 13 in uniformly vspaced annular rel-ation aroundthe central socket-post l5 are eight contact-pins 16a, 16h, i173, 17h,i170, 17d, 117e, and .l7f, which are also adapted to fit, in

the usual manner, within corresponding female-contacts of theconventional socket. v y

Staked in, and projecting upwardly from, the plate `L! is a U-shapedframe 113 having a transverse bight 19 which is disposed in upwardlyspaced parallel relation to the plate 12 and rigidly between the bighti9 and platt-12 is a cylindrical nylon spool `Ztl which is disposed incoaxial alignment with the plates lli, d2, and is integrally providedwith larrially :spaced annular flanges 211, Z1. Wound therebetweeh is acoil h2 of insulated magnet-Wire having connection-leadsZSa, 23?,respectively connected to the pins 16e, 16h. The coil 2Q. is wound inthe usual and conventionalvmanner and the spool 2li is held securely andirnmovably between the'bight 'i9 of the `frame 18 and the underside ofthe plate 12. The interior or axial'bore of the spool `Ztl'is providedwith `a tight-fitting thin brass sleeve 24 which serves to establish theinternal diametral size of the'spool 2d in ,the event that the spool 20tends to change dimensionslightly under influence of atmosphericconditions. At its lower end, the sleeve 24 is rigidly supported on ktheplate i12 by means of a cylindrical plug 25 which extends through anaperture 26, ybeing upset or peened-over, as at @7,50 as to draw theshoulder 28l into tightaiitted engagement against the face ofthe plate12. ln this connection, it should be noted that the platey 12,

the frame '18, and plug 25 `are made of iron so as to create y amagnetic yoke around the coil 122. n

Slidably mounted within the sleeve 24 of the spool 20 above the plugQlSis a cylindrical iron rod 31 externally sheathed in a thin nylon jacket32 `and provided with an upwardly projecting coaxial extension orplunger-rod 33, which lits tightly -within a dielectric sleeve 34provided at its upper end with a diametrally enlargeddisk-liangefli Vandopstanding annular bumper-shoulder 36. The sleeve 34 is attached to theplunger-rod 33 by means of a metal 'washer 37 which is rigidly securedto the peened-over end 38 of the plunger-rod 33, as shown in FIG. 2.

The plate l1 is made of some suitable dielectric material such asphenolic resin and is provided upon its upper face with two switchassemblies s1, s2, as shown generally in FIG. 3. These switch assembliess1, s2, are identical and, therefore, only one7 namely the switchassembly s1, as shown in FIG. 5, will be described herein in detail.This switch assembly s1 consists of a bronze bracket 39 secured to theplate 1l by means of a conductive rivet 40 and electrically connected tothe contact-pin 17a by means of an insulated conductor 4l. The bracket39 is integrally provided with an offset arm 42 disposed in upwardlyspaced parallel relation to the plate lli and is provided with acontact-button 43 which overlies and is aligned with a contact-button 44rigidly seated in the plate 1l and connected by an insulated conductor45 to the contact-pin 17h. Also secured to the plate il by means of aconductive rivet 46 and connected to the contact-pin 17 by means of aninsulated conductor 47 is a second bracket 48 having vertically spacedapertures 49, 5t). Rockably mounted in, and extending through, theaperture is an actuator-arm Sil integrally provided at one end with arelatively large arcuate slide-shoe 52, which bears slidahly against theunderface of the disk-ange 35. At its other end, the actuator-arm 51 isintegrally provided with an angularly downwardly deflected ear 53 havingan aperture 54 and cross-bar 55 for hooked engagement with one of atension spring 57 'which is, in turn, hooked at its other end into therocking end of a switch blade 58 having a doublefaced contact-button 59.At its other end, the switch blade 58 is provided with longitudinallyprojecting tongues 60 which are pivotally seated in the aperture 5t) ofthe bracket 48. The switch blade 58 is longitudinally bifurcated orslotted between the tongues 60 to provide clearance for the spring 57,as shown in FIG. 6, which operates with a toggle-action and snaps theswitch blade 58 into alternative positions, i.e., the position shown infull lines or the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. When thecoil 22 is energized and draws the plungerrod 33 down, the disk-ange 35will push the slide-shoe 52 down to the position shown in dotted linesin FIG. 5, and the switch blade 58 will snap into so-called "upposition, i.e. the contact-button 59 will be in contactive engagementwith the contact-button 43. When the coil 22 is de-energized, the spring57 will cause the arm 51 and disk-flange 35 again to move upwardly tothe position shown in full lines in FIG. 5 and the switch blade 58 willsnap into down position, i.e, the contact-button 59 will be in contactwith the contact-button 44.

The switch s2 is provided with conductive rivets 60, 61, which areidentical with the conductive rivets 4t), 46, and with a contact-button62 which is identical with the contact-button 44, said conductive rivets6), 61, and contact button 62 being respectively connected by insulatedconductors 63, 64, 65, to the contact-pins 17d, 17e, and 17f. Thisswitch s2 also includes an actuator-arm 51', a slideshoe 52', a spring57', and switch blade 58', all identical to the corresponding elementsof the switch s1 previously described. Thus, when the switch A isplugged into a suitable socket, the effect is to insert a double-pole,doublethrow solenoid actuated switch into the circuitry to which suchsocket is wired.

For purposes of illustration and description herein, the switch A hasbeen shown in a vertical position and the plate 11 has been referred toas being at the upper end of the structure. However, it should beclearly understood that the switch A may be mounted in any position andthe parts thereof will operate equally well regardless of orientation.It has been found, as a result of actual experience with switchesconstructed in accordance with the present invention, that the togglesprings 57 not `only hold the switch blades 58, 55', in their respectivepositions, but also urge the plunger-rod 33 and its associated structureupwardly, so that the switch is extremely sensitive and will respond torelatively small current in the coil 22.

It is also possible to provide a modified form of switch A as shown inFIGS. 7 to l0, inclusive, which is identical with the previouslydescribed switch A except that it has four switches s3, s4, si', s6, allidentical with the previously described switch s1. Thus, the switch Awill, in effect, constitute a four-pole, double-throw switch.

It is also possible to provide a so-called make-beforebreak type ofswitch unit constructed in accordance with and embodying the presentinvention, such as the switch unit B shown in FIGS. ll to l5, inclusive,which comprises a two-part housing l substantially identical to thepreviously described housing 1 and being internally provided withchannels 6', 7', for supporting plates 11', l2'. Staked into the plate12 is a U-shaped frame 18 which secures a spool 20 and coil 22', allsubstantially identical to the corresponding elements of the switch unitA. Shiftably mounted in the spool 20 is a rod 31 having a nylon sheath32' and a plunger-rod 33', which lits tightly within a dielectric sleeve34 provided at its upper end with a disk-flange 35.

The bottom of the housing 1 is provided with a dielectric plate ll3'having a socket-post 15 and a plurality of contact-pins 16', 17. Thesocket-post 15 and contactpins 16', 17', are adapted for conventionaldisposition in a socket (not shown), the contact-pins 16 being connectedby insulated conductors 66, 67, to the coil 22.

Mounted on the plate il' are two switch assemblies S7, s3, which areidentical and, therefore, only one, namely the switch assembly S7, shownin FIGS. 14 and 15, will be described in detail. This switch assemblys'7 consists of a conductive strip 68 molded or otherwise rigidlymounted in the plate lll' and connected by an insulated conductor 69 toone of the contact-pins 17. Mounted in one end of the strip 68 andextending through the plate 1l is a tubular ferrule 70 having anupwardly opening socket 71. Secured upon the underface of the plate 11in perpendicular relation to the strip 68 by means of a rivet 72 is aphosphor-bronze contactor blade 73 provided in one end with acontact-button 74 and connected by means of an insulated conductor 75 toone of the contact-pins 17 Similarly secured to the underface of theplate 11 in parallel overlying relation to the contactor blade 73 bymeans of a rivet 76 is a second contactor blade 77 provided in one endwith a contact-button 7S and connected by means of an insulatedconductor 79 to one of the contact-pins 17. The contactor blade 77 issomewhat resilient and is normally flexed toward the contactor blade 73,so that contact-buttons 74, 78, are normally in circuitmaking contact,as shown in FIG. 14. The contactor blade 77 integrally includes alateral arm 80 which extends beneath the ferrule 70 and is provided witha contact-button 81.

Shiftably mounted in the ferrule 70 is a contact-rod 82 provided at itsupper end with a cylindrical head 83 which abuts against the disk-flange35' and bears against the upper end of a compression spring 84 disposedencirclingly around the rod 82 and seated at its lower end in the socket7l. At its lower end, the rod 82 is rounded off and is axially alignedwith the contact-button 81 so that when the coil 22 is energized andpulls in, the disk-ange 35 will push the rod 82 downwardly and therounded end will bear against the contact-button 81 making initialcontact therewith. As the rod 82 moves downwardly, it flexes thecontactor-blade 77 downwardly and shifts the contactbutton '75 away fromcontact with the contact-button 74, as shown in FIG. 15.

Although the rod 82 is electrically in contact with the ferrule 7 0,ythere ris always a possibility that t-he conductivity may be impaireddue to oxidation and `atmospheric conditions. Therefore, a bow-spring 85is staked at one end to the strip 68 and seated at its other end in rthehead 33 of the rod 82.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of thesolenoid operated switches may be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described without departing from the nature and principle ofmy invention.

Having thus described my invention, @what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: n m

il. A switch comprising a closed dielectric shell, a plurality of diskskheld in spaced relation within` the shell and subdividing it`transversely in the provision of two end compartments land anintermediate cage, one of said disks being a dielectric disk, asolenoidrigidly mounted in the cage and having a hollow core, a rod-likearmature shiftably mounted within the hollow core for movement axiallywith respect to the solenoid when the latter is energized andde-energized, an actuator rigidly secured to and movable with thearmature, said actuator extending outwardly from thesolenoid and throughthe dielectric disk into the end compartment deiined by such dielectricdisk, first electrical contact-elements mounted upon said dielectnicdisk, second electrical contact-elements mounted in upwardly spacedrelation to said trst electrical contactelements, each of said first andsecond contact-elements being insulated from each other, a spring-biasedswitch blade operatively mounted within the end compartment defined bysaid dielectric disk for swinging movement between said contact-elementswhereby to make optional contact with either of said contact-elements,and means operatively associated 'with the switch blade and beingadapted for mechanically engaging the actuator whereby to swing theblade optionally into contactive engagement with either of saidcontact-elements responsive to movement of the actuator.

2. A switch comprising a two-part dielectric housing having meetingedges along which the housing is secured together to form an enclosedshell, dielectric plate means and spaced metallic plate means mountedwithin the housing and extending thereacross whereby to subdivide theshell intokan end compartment and a cage, a solenoid rigidly mounted inthe cage and having a hollow core, a rod-like armature shiftably mountedwithin the hollow core for movement axially with respect to the solenoidwhen the latter is energized and de-energized, an actuator rigidlysecured to and movable kwith the armature, said actuator extendingoutwardly from the solenoid into the cage, first electricalcontact-elements mounted upon and carnied by said dielectric platemeans, means mounted on said dielectric plate means and supportingsecond electrical contact-elements in upwardly spaced relation to saidfirst contact-elements, a spring-biased switch blade operatively mountedwithin said end compartment for swinging movement between each of saidcontact-elements whereby to make optional contact with either of saidcontact-elements, and means operatively associated with the switch bladeand being adapted for mechanically engaging the actuator whereby toswing the blade optionally into contactive engagement with either ofsaid contact-elements responsive to movement of the actuator.

3. A switch comprising a two-part dielectric housing having meetingedges along which the housing is secured together to form an enclosedshell, dielectric plate means and spaced metallic plate means mountedwithin the housing and extending thereacross whereby to subdivide theshell into au end compartment and a cage, a solenoid rigidly mounted inthe cage and having a hollow core, a rod-like` armature sheathed in adielectric material shiftyably mounted within the hollow core formovement axially with respect to the solenoid when the latter isenergized and de-energized, an actuator rigidly secured to and movablewith the armature, said actuator extending outwardly from the solenoidinto the cage, first electrical contact-elements mounted upon andcarried by said dielectric plate means, means mounted on said dielectricplate means and supporting second electrical contact-elements inupwardly spaced relation rto said first contact-elements, aspring-biased ,switch blade operatively mounted Within said endcompartment for swinging movement between each of said contact-elementswherebyto 'make optional contact with either of said contact-elements,and means operatively` associated with the switch blade and being.adapted for mechanically engaging the actuator whereby to swing theblade optionally into contactive engagement with either of saidcontact-elements responsive to movement ofthe actuator.

4. A switchcomprising a two-part dielectric housing having meeting edgesalong which the housing is secured together to form an enclosed shell,means within the housing extending thereacross whereby to subdivide theshell into an end compartment and a cage, said means including ametallic portion and a dielectric portion, a solenoid'rigidly mounted inthe cage and having a hollow core lined with a metallic tube, a rod-likearmature' sheathed in a dielectric material shiftably mounted within thehollow core for movement axially with respect to the solenoid when thelatter is energized and de-energized, an actuator rigidly secured to andmovable with the arma ture, said actuator extending outwardly from thesolenoid into the cage, opposed electrical contact-elements mountedwithin said end compartment and insulated from each i other, aspring-biased switch blade operatively mounted within said endcompartment for swinging movement between said contact-elements wherebyto make optional contact with yeither of said contact-elements, andmeans operatively associated with the switch blade and being adapted formechanically engaging the actuator whereby to swing the blade optionallyinto contactive engagement with either of said contact-elementsresponsive to movement of the actuator.

5. A switch comprising a dielectric housing, a pair of plate-likemembers rigidly secured within the housing in opposed spaced relationand subdividing it transversely in the provision of two end compartmentsand an intermediate cage, at least one ofsaid plate-like members being adielectric plate-like member, a dielectric spool rigidly mounted in thecage and having a hollow core, an electromagnetic coil wound upon thespool, a rod-like armature shiftably mounted within the hollow core formovement axially with respect to the solenoid when the latter isenergized and de-energized, an actuatory rigidly secured to and movablewith the armature, said actuator having a diametrally enlarged flangeextending outwardly into the end compartment defined by said dielectricplate-like member in spaced parallel relation to the dielectricplatelike member, opposedelectrical contact-elements mounted on saidlast-named plate-like member and facing into the end compartment definedby said last-named platelike member, a spring-biased switch bladeoperatively mounted within the end compartment defined by saiddielectric plate-like memberfor swinging movement between saidcontact-elements whereby to make optional contact with either 'of saidcontact-elements, and means operatively associated with the switch bladeand being adapted for mechanically engaging the actuator flange wherebytofswing the blade optionally into contactive engagement with either ofsaid contact-elements responsive to movementof the actuator. f

6. A switch according to claim 5 Lin which the contactelements andswitch blade are of the make-after-break type.

7. A switch according to claim 5 in which the contactelements and switchblade are of the make-before-break type. f

8. A switch according to claim l in which the actuator is provided witha laterally projecting abutment surface which is substantially at rightangles to its line of movement, and the means operatively associatedwith the switch blade is provided with an arcuate surface which bearsoperatively against the laterally projecting abutment surface of theactuator.

9. A switch according to claim 1 in which the actuator is provided witha laterally projecting abutment surface which is substantially at rightangles to its line of movement, and the means operatively associatedwith the switch blade has a free end which is provided with an arcuatearm that bears operatively against the laterally projecting abutmentsurface of the actuator.

10. A switch according to claim 1 in which the actuator is provided atone end with a diametrally enlarged annular flange providing an abutmentsurface which is substantially at right angles to the line of movementto the actuator, and the means operatively associated with the switchblade has a free end which is provided with an arcuate arm that bearsoperatively against the abutment surface of the actuator.

11. A switch according to claim 2 in which the two 15 3,005,890

parts forming the enclosed shell are interiorly provided with pairs ofcomplementary slot-forming elements and are so arranged that thedielectric plate means and the metallic plate means respectively areslidably engaged thereby as the two parts of the housing are slidtogether into edgewise meeting relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,831,368 Rubel Nov. 10, 1931 2,279,395 Gardiner Apr. 14, 1942 2,499,216Frydman Feb. 28, 1950 2,543,000 Deakin Feb. 27, 1951 White Oct. 24, 1961

1. A SWITCH COMPRISING A CLOSED DIELECTRIC SHELL, A PLURALITY OF DISKSHELD IN SPACED RELATION WITHIN THE SHELL AND SUBDIVIDING IT TRANSVERSELYIN THE PROVISION OF TWO END COMPARTMENTS AND AN INTERMEDIATE CAGE, ONEOF SAID DISKS BEING A DIELECTRIC DISK, A SOLENOID RIGIDLY MOUNTED IN THECAGE AND HAVING A HOLLOW CORE, A ROD-LIKE ARMATURE SHIFTABLY MOUNTEDWITHIN THE HOLLOW CORE FOR MOVEMENT AXIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE SOLENOIDWHEN THE LATTER IS ENERGIZED AND DE-ENERGIZED, AN ACTUATOR RIGIDLYSECURED TO AND MOVABLE WITH THE ARMATURE, SAID ACTUATOR EXTENDINGOUTWARDLY FROM THE SOLENOID AND THROUGH THE DIELECTRIC DISK INTO THE ENDCOMPARTMENT DEFINED BY SUCH DIELECTRIC DISK, FIRST ELECTRICALCONTACT-ELEMENTS MOUNTED UPON SAID DIELECTRIC DISK, SECOND ELECTRICALCONTACT-ELEMENTS MOUNTED IN UPWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRSTELECTRICAL CONTACTELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECONDCONTACT-ELEMENTS BEING INSULATED FROM EACH OTHER, A SPRING-BIASED SWITCHBLADE OPERATIVELY MOUNTED WITHIN THE END COMPARTMENT DEFINED BY SAIDDIELECTRIC DISK FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID CONTACT-ELEMENTSWHEREBY TO MAKE OPTIONAL CONTACT WITH EITHER OF SAID CONTACT-ELEMENTS,AND MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SWITCH BLADE AND BEING ADAPTEDFOR MECHANICALLY ENGAGING THE ACTUATOR WHEREBY TO SWING THE BLADEOPTIONALLY INTO CONTACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH EITHER OF SAIDCONTACT-ELEMENTS RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF THE ACTUATOR.